A Dream Journey from A Book (By: Carys )

    

This book is called with the theme of heroism. It is a blend of tales from the Disney series and literature. It has the pictures of comparisons between colorful, eye-catching peace, and blackish-white, merciless war. It involves a troop of soldiers, but one of them is a woman. They are fighting to preserve their beloved territory from the enemies. What is this book’s name? To answer this question, I will mention it lastly. 

That night, I slept so sweetly after a bedtime story of reading this book. Abruptly, something changed when I saw a luminous, glamorous light. I walked closer and closer. Then, ‘Whoosh’, I don’t know where this sound came from. I was confused. Later, I felt like my whole body was sliding along the grey hole. I shouted ‘Hoodoo’. Where was it taking me to? 

   Meanwhile, I approached the location. I felt a mild pain as I fell after a massive slide. I rubbed my eyes and saw that I was at another place. I thought, such a familiar scenario, but the only thing that I don’t know was about the date. To hinder me from being lost, I was needed to ride on a flying red carpet, just like the mystical and magical carpet from a fairy tale named “Aladdin and The Magic Lamp”. It took me to another place, again. The carpet had its uniqueness, which were technological, that could show me the information and provide me the tools and equipment that I wanted. Later then, I knew that I was in the 386 to 534 AD. I was flown into the city. It seemed the crowds hectic with their own activities peacefully. Without hesitation, I was flown to a situation where I saw a lady, dressed in a fascinating, long pink dress with white face makeup, followed by her family and pets, going to a mattered event. I didn’t know what the event was, and the lady’s name, so I asked. Later, I knew that she was named Fa Mu Lan. I understood that she was going to face the matchmaker.  

Not long after, the event began. It was an outstanding start when Mu Lan poured two glasses of tea into the teacups meticulously to show her tribute. Until then, her pet friend, the cricket, jumped into one of her teacups and caused a mishap. Indignantly, she was called to disgrace in front of her family. Such a saddening scene, I saw. I didn’t know what happened after that unforeseen.  

Without thinking, the carpet brought me to a scenario, where I saw Mu Lan, headstrong, dissuading her father from enrolling in the army for training, notwithstanding that he was conscripted to battle against the Huns who had started a procurement of the entire imperial city many years ago, because he was too old to participate, but her father disapproved of her decision for her intervention as a soldier, as men can serve in the war only, he was rattled that she might injured during the war. After a long talk, that midnight, it was raining cats and dogs, I saw Mu Lan, sobbed on the bricks of the Great Wall, which is now a top-notch tourist attraction in China, didn’t know what to do. Until one moment, she thought of a method. She cut her hair, stole her father's sword, geared up with an armor to disguise herself as a man, and prepared herself for the war after praying at the ancestors. She rode a horse to the army training camp.  

Meanwhile, I was flown to a scene the next morning, swiftly. Despite this, I was not jetlagged. I saw the flying dragon, which the magical carpet showed me its real name, Mu Shu, give a powerful stone dragon guardian, encouraged and guided Mu Lan clumsily. Where was the powerful stone guardian coming from? It boosted my curiosity. The magical carpet then showed me a video when Mu Lan’s grandmother prayed in front of the ancestors who were awakened by the sound of gong from Mu Shu. That time I realized that the powerful stone guardian was from the ancestors. To hide Mu Lan’s identity, she altered her name as “Fa Ping”.  

When Mu Lan reached the camp, I saw a hunk, introduced himself as Captain Li Shang to her and her fellow recruits. He trained them to overcome the challenges as during a war. At first, Mu Lan was weak to face them. She tried her best. With her efforts, she was able to concur them. The most exhilarating scene I saw was the moment she befriended with her three recruits, Yao, Ling, and Chen Po. I had never seen Mu Lan revealed her true gender to her recruits and Captain Li during training or other activities.  

It was time to fly to another scene. While flying, I saw the emperor’s belligerent counsel threatened the emperor to disallow the soldiers to fight. To settle the problem, Mu Shu wrote a fake letter from General Li, Captain Li’s father to order him follow the main imperial army into the mountains. Mu Lan and the recruits followed too.  After the reinforcement sets out, General Li and most of the troops sacrificed as they combated against the Huns. Other soldiers who were alive, ambushed them. Mu Lan, smart thinking, used a Huolongchushui cannon to stimulate the avalanche and bury the Huns, but ended up badly injured. The most heartfelt scene I saw was the support from Mu Shu that she was patriotic in protecting her country from the enemies.  

Sooner and later, I was brought to the next morning, when Mu Lan disclosed her identity to Captain Li and her fellow recruits after her wound was bandaged. Instead of executing her to fulfil the law required, her life was spared, and she was expelled. I was feeling blue, and worried if she would be reprimanded by her parents. Looking her walking alone, not long after, she discovered that the Huns were alive. What she did? She went back and reported the power and plan of the Huns to the armies and Captain Li.  

 I, who was flying on the carpet, jumped to a scene where the fights between the Huns and the armies happened. I saw Mu Lan warned Captain Li. She also called her friends to dress as ladies, then lurked the leader, who was named Shan Yu onto the roof to pin him down with his sword. To figure out the strategy efficiently, Mu Shu, riding on a minuscule skyrocket faster, successfully slayed Shan Yu. It was an outstanding strike to defeat the Huns, but the whole palace was burnt.  

After a long fight, I saw Mu Lan was thanked by the emperor and the city’s assembled inhabitant, who bowed her in honor and courtesy. When the emperor asked her to join the royal council, she declined. He praised her, rewarded her with Shan Yu’s sword. Finally, Mu Lan returned to her family happily and they were proud of her. Mu Lan supposed to show her father the presents, but he opposed as he was on cloud nine to have her back. Mu Lan also invited Captain Li for dinner too, and he accepted. Mu Shu became the Fa family guardian. The ancestors celebrated blissfully.  

Eventually, I saw the grey hole again. I no longer flied on the magical carpet, instead I slid in the grey hole rapidly. After I reached my home, I slept again until the late morning. I heard my mum’s call for waking me up. It was just a dream journey to such a mysterious place from the book.  

It is time for me to reveal the answer of the title of the book----------Mulan. I am fancy of this book, because it teaches me to be courageous and not to give up when enduring challenges. Apart from that, this book has a correlation with the theme of Commonwealth countries, because I was from Malaysia, a country that had been colonized by British since 1900s. To defend my country, my ancestors did their utmost to defeat them. At last, my country attained independence after a serial of obstacles and involved in The Commonwealth of Nations association. This situation showed me the importance of peace and loyalty towards a country. It also taught me cooperation and reunition of all citizens are essential to establish a better future. I learn to think and plan smartly at anytime, anywhere from this book. Furthermore, the background of this book is so colorful, vibrant and elegant. The characters are interactive, especially Mu Lan, the protagonist, who I love the most. I adore her beauty, brave, loyalty and true. I like her filiality of taking over her father’s place to combat in the war.  If someone was a fan of Disney, superhero or Chinese literature, I would recommend Mulan to all of them. Everyone can read this book.